Mitchell man charged after firing 70 rounds from multiple guns, striking occupied car
Jan. 26—WOONSOCKET — A Mitchell man is facing serious charges after authorities say he fired over 70 rounds from a vehicle, two of which struck another occupied vehicle.
Luis Rivera-Latimer, 29, of Mitchell, was charged with discharging a firearm at a motor vehicle, discharging a firearm from a moving vehicle, commission of a felony with a firearm and reckless use of weapons in the incident.
The Sanborn County Sheriff's Office alleges that on July 29, 2021, Rivera-Latimore drove to the area of the intersection of SD 34 and 37, where he was involved in the shooting of "multiple rounds from multiple firearms."
A vehicle traveling northbound on SD 37 and turning westbound onto SD 34 when it was struck by two bullets.
An arrest affidavit for Rivera-Latimore says after his bullets struck the vehicle, he left the area and continued to fire multiple rounds from at least one firearm from a moving vehicle.
An investigation conducted by the sheriff's office found over 70 rounds had been fired over the 12 minute duration of the incident, and suggested another individual may have been with him at the time of the shooting.
In a January conversation between deputies and Rivera-Latimore, he told authorities the firearms belonged to him, but would not explain why he was shooting them or who he was with.
Sanborn County Sheriff Tom Fridley said though the authorities were able to locate Rivera-Latimore on the night of the incident, the length of the investigation resulted in a delay of nearly six months before charges were filed.
No court appearance has been set, according to eCourts, the state's online judicial system.
Rivera-Latimore's charges include one Class 2 felony, one Class 3 felony, one Class 6 felony and one Class 1 misdemeanor. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 42 years in prison, one year in a county jail and $85,000 in fines.
